MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

San Diego, CA  – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) made the following statement regarding the data from the Point-in-Time Count released by the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness:

“I’m encouraged by the decrease in the number of families and veterans who are unsheltered. The results show our investments have us headed in the right direction, yet we know that much more must be done to shelter our neighbors,” said Rep. Peters. “We must build more low- and middle-income housing and we must do it faster and we must protect the services available to those in need.”

The 2025 Point-in-Time Count identified 9,905 people in San Diego County who are homeless, compared to 10,605 a year ago.

The data shows that proven strategies are making a difference. Homelessness among Transitional Youth (18 to 24 years old) decreased by 22 percent. Rep. Peters recently celebrated the opening of a new youth shelter which he secured $1.5 million for as part of the City of San Diego’s Safe Shelter for Transition-Age Youth (Safe STAY) program. The shelter will provide wrap-around case management to help young people exit homelessness through education, employment, and supportive services. 

Still, too many San Diegans remain unsheltered, with many of them living in their cars. According to the Point-in-Time Count results, the population of people living in their vehicles rose by 7 percent. Rep. Peters’ staff recently toured the new H-Barracks safe parking site, San Diego’s 7th safe parking site. The site will add 190 spaces, nearly doubling the capacity of the Safe Parking Program, and will offer critical services to connect individuals and families to housing.

Rep. Peters participated in Point-in-Time Count in January, which he does every year when he is not in Washington, D.C. for votes in the House of Representatives.

“The best way to learn is to talk to people living on the street and hear their stories,” Rep. Peters said. “I thank every volunteer and service provider and will keep pushing to bring home federal resources to support our local partners.”

During his time in Congress, Rep. Peters has led many efforts to increase homelessness funding for the San Diego region, provide more shelter beds, make housing more affordable, and incentivize housing construction. In addition to the recent opening of the youth shelter which he secured funding for, in the last several months, he has:

• Launched the Build America Caucus, a bipartisan group dedicated to cutting the self-imposed red tape that has led to out-of-control housing costs and other lagging investments.
• Launched the YIMBY Caucus, a first-of-its-kind group working to promote pro-housing growth policies that lower costs, help people achieve the dream of home ownership, and create vibrant, walkable, and transit-connected communities.
• Urged the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to finish processing and disbursing Fiscal Year 2024 homelessness funds that had yet to be sent out and requested that HUD adhere to the recent congressionally approved two-year homelessness funding cycle.

Rep. Peters’ legislation that is now law in this space includes:

• The Veteran HOUSE Act, which became law in the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2021 and is working to tackle veteran homelessness by expanding the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
• The Housing Assistance Efficiency Act, which became law in 2015 and is helping non-profits directly administer homelessness assistance grants to those who need it by eliminating a bureaucratic step previously requiring non-profits to connect homeless individuals with federal agencies to receive aid.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 1147, the Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act. This legislation, introduced by Congressman Valadao earlier this Congress, would make the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) more accessible for our disabled veterans by establishing a permanent advisory committee within the VA to allow for direct and regular communication with the Secretary on behalf of disabled veterans. Congressman Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) co-led this legislation.

“I’m proud to see the House pass my Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act with strong bipartisan support,” said Congressman Valadao. “This bill gives disabled veterans a permanent voice at the highest levels of the VA, ensuring that their experiences help shape the policies, services, and facilities they rely on. Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and we have a responsibility to remove the barriers that stand between them and the care they’ve earned, and this bill brings us one step closer to fulfilling that promise.”

The Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act:

• Requires the VA Secretary to create a permanent advisory committee on issues related to the accessibility of VA benefits, services, and facilities for veterans and employees with mobility impairments, hearing, visual, cognitive, or other disabilities.
• Eliminates an inactive Department of Veterans Affairs advisory committee not established by Congress, consolidate two smaller committees, or recommend the termination of an inactive committee established by Congress to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans’ Affairs.
• Would be composed of 15 individuals including disabled veterans, experts, employees, and veteran service organization representatives.
• Provides informal consultations and advice to the Secretary and other VA officials, as well as formal reports. 

Read the full bill here.

Prior to the vote, Congressman Valadao spoke on the House floor to urge passage of the bill. You can watch his full remarks here or read them as prepared below:

I urge my colleagues to support the Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act, which would make the Department of Veterans Affairs more accessible for our disabled veterans.

Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and we have a responsibility to make sure they receive the benefits and services they’ve earned.

Sadly, too many disabled veterans face unnecessary obstacles in accessing care because of avoidable barriers at the VA.

This bipartisan bill would create a permanent advisory committee within the VA made up of disabled veterans, experts, and advocates who understand these challenges firsthand. 

This committee will give our veterans a direct line to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs—ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are prioritized.

This is a commonsense, bipartisan step to improve oversight, enhance accessibility, and uphold our nation’s commitment to the men and women who have sacrificed so much defending our freedoms.

I want to thank Chairman Bost and his staff at the Committee on Veterans Affairs for their work on this important bill to make the VA more accessible for the disabled veterans it serves.

Thank you, and I yield back.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (21st District of New York)

ICYMI: Stefanik Joined Mornings with Maria on FBN to Speak About Enacting President Trump’s Agenda, Harvard’s Ties to China, and Joe Biden’s Health Scandal | Press Releases | Congresswoman Elise Stefanik

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

“Donald, there is nothing beautiful about making people sicker, poorer, and more vulnerable. And that’s exactly what this bill would do.”

Republican Reconciliation Bill Would Rip Away Healthcare and Food Assistance from Millions, Harm Everyone Especially Black and Brown Communities

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) co-hosted a press conference with Color of Change to oppose the Republicans’ cruel and harmful budget reconciliation package, which would gut critical programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to fund billions of dollars in new tax giveaways straight into the pockets of Trump’s billionaire friends. The bill is estimated to cause 14 million people to lose their healthcare and raise costs for millions more. It would also make the largest cuts to food assistance in American history, taking food away from millions of children, seniors, veterans, and folks with disabilities.

Across Massachusetts, over 955,000 Medicaid enrollees are at risk of losing healthcare coverage under MassHealth, the Commonwealth’s Medicaid program, due to the bill’s work reporting requirements for Medicaid. In the Massachusetts 7^th Congressional District, approximately 135,000 enrollees would lose coverage.

Republicans’ extreme budget plan also threatens the approximately 1,216,000 people in the Commonwealth who depend on SNAP to put food on the table, including 187,000 people in the Massachusetts 7^th Congressional District.

Congresswoman Pressley was joined by Representatives Summer Lee (PA-12), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Alma Adams (NC-12), Gabe Amo (RI-01), and Rashida Tlaib (MA-12), as well as Color of Change’s Interim Executive Director Portia Allen-Kyle, Families over Billionaires’ Campaign Director Michael Linden, and advocates from Color of Change.

A transcript of the Congresswoman’s opening remarks, as delivered, is available below, and the full video is available here.

Transcript: Pressley, Color Of Change Host Presser Opposing Medicaid Cuts for Trump’s Billionaire Handouts
U.S. Capitol
May 20, 2025

Good afternoon everyone!

Thank you for joining us. It is so good always to be surrounded by what I consider to be movement family. I am immensely proud to be partnering with Color of Change as we demand that Republicans take their hands off our healthcare, hands off our food assistance, and hands off other essential, life-saving programs.

Thank you to Portia, for standing in the gap in such a time as this. Thank you for the indefatigable efforts of the entire team at Color of Change, to the folks here today who are opening their hearts to share their stories with us all. 

And thank you my colleagues, Representatives Lee, Brown, Adams, Amo and Tlaib for their partnership and to our friends at Families over Billionaires for the work you do each and every day.

We stand here today because Republicans are trying to gut Medicaid, SNAP, and other essential, life-saving programs so they can line the pockets of billionaires including Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

Donald Trump is stealing from the poor, the elderly, the vulnerable and everyday working families to line his own damn pockets.

This is the great Republican ripoff.

These attacks are precise, intentional, targeted. 

They mean harm to everyone who calls this country home, beginning with our most vulnerable.

They’re coming for our veterans, our elders, and folks with disabilities. 

They’re coming for those in need of life-saving medications for chronic diseases like asthma, high blood pressure, and dementia.

They’re coming for babies who need formula, parents who are just trying to put food on the dinner table.

And of course, they mean to harm our Black and brown communities who stand to be the most impacted by these devastating cuts.

Medicaid is essential healthcare. About 1 in 5 Medicaid enrollees are Black.  

SNAP is essential food for families. 20% of Black households have faced food insecurity in recent years, compared to 7% of white households.

As the saying goes, when the rest of America gets a cold, Black folks get pneumonia – and this bill is certainly a testament to that. 

I represent the Massachusetts 7th, a district that is vibrant, diverse, dynamic, one of the most unequal in this country, and was one of the hardest-hit Congressional districts by the first Trump occupancy.

And we have every reason to believe that this will be the case again in the second occupancy of the Trump White House.

Donald Trump was up here today threatening his caucus to fall in line behind his “one big, beautiful bill.” 

Donald, there is nothing beautiful about making people sicker, making people poorer, making people more vulnerable. And that’s exactly what this bill would do. 

Nearly 14 million people kicked off their healthcare. Food ripped out of the mouths of millions of children, seniors, veterans, and folks with disabilities. 

I mean seriously, the only people who’d benefit from this bill are toy spaceship billionaires like Elon Musk and Donald Trump himself.

The cruelty is the point. 

Republicans know exactly how cruel and unpopular this bill is. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be trying to move it forward under the cover of night at 11 o’clock on a Sunday or 1am on a Wednesday, like they’re doing this week. 

You know, Donald Trump and Republicans would love for us to stop fighting back.

Donald Trump’s a dictator. A dictator wants a citizenry that is uninformed, that is indifferent to the suffering of its neighbor, and that is inactive. 

They would love for us to cede this dark, dystopian vision that Donald Trump has for America as an inevitability.

But it is not. And the only way to beat a dictator is with defiance.

Our colleagues in the House across the aisle, you know, I’m asked all the time if there are opportunities for bipartisanship, to which I respond, “where is the party for bipartisanship?”

This is just a cult of cowards who have been complicit in wholesale harm. Just a cult of cowards. 

And the only way to beat a dictator is with defiance. 

So that’s what brings us here today. We won’t back down, not for a second. 

And Medicaid, SNAP, Head Start and the VA – these programs aren’t just line items in a budget. 

They are lifelines. They are lifelines. Policies determine who lives, who dies, who survives, who thrives.  

So together, we say: 

Hands off healthcare.

Hands off our food.

Hands off our bodies.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Washington, D.C. — Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) signed onto Rep. Jamie Raskin’s (MD-8), resolution to condemn President Donald Trump’s effort to accept a $400 million luxury private jet from the royal family of Qatar without obtaining Congress’s approval, in violation of the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause.

“President Trump continues to flout the Constitution and the rule of law,” said Rep. Peters. “It is so plainly obvious that this ‘gift’ is a means to curry favor and improperly influence U.S. foreign policy. Just because this corrupt act is taking place out in the open does not mean we should not call it out. Rather, it is more important than ever to hold the President accountable so that such unconstitutional behavior does not become normalized.”

On May 11, an ABC News report revealed that President Trump planned to accept a $400 million private jet from the Qatari royal family—a lavish and unconstitutional gift that would become the property of his personal presidential library foundation at the conclusion of his term. In a news conference on May 12, when asked about this reported gift, Trump stated, “I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer… I could be a stupid person and say, ‘no, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.’” In 2016, then-candidate Trump criticized Hillary Clinton for donations the Clinton Foundation accepted from Qatar.

While Trump claimed that this extravagant gift from a foreign government would result in “big savings [that] will be spent, instead, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT,” it in fact would require potentially billions of dollars in taxpayer funds to retrofit and debug the plane.

Click here to read the resolution.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

Washington, D.C. – In a major milestone for online safety and the protection of minors, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), today celebrated the signing of the bipartisan TAKE IT DOWN Act, landmark legislation to crack down on non-consensual and sexually exploitative imagery, including dangerous AI-generated deepfakes.

“Let me be clear: no child, from Texas or anywhere in the world, should fall victim to AI-generated abuse,” said Dr. Cuellar. “Thanks to this law, families and individuals will finally have a way to demand action and accountability online. I’m proud to have worked with Senator Cruz, who co-led the bill in the Senate, and Congresswoman Salazar, who co-led it in the House, and I thank the president for swiftly signing it into law.”

The new law strengthens enforcement tools for law enforcement, speeds up the removal of abusive content, and protects lawful speech. For victims of AI-generated abuse, this law is more than legislation. It’s long-overdue justice and an important step forward in addressing the fast-evolving risks posed by artificial intelligence and online exploitation.

The TAKE IT DOWN Act passed both chambers with bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Trump on May 19, 2025.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV) and Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced bipartisan legislation today to close a loophole that allows taxpayer dollars to be used to subsidize lobbying by large agricultural interests at the expense of smaller producers and consumers.

The Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act refines the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s checkoff programs by closing a loophole that allows taxpayer dollars to be used for lobbying. The programs were established by the federal government and are funded through compulsory fees on producers of milk, eggs, beef, and other agricultural products so that members of the agricultural industry could pool their financial resources for promotional and research purposes. But lax oversight at the federal level has allowed harmful collusion between the boards governing these programs and the agriculture lobby.

“This system has been abused by big agricultural interests,” Congresswoman Titus said. “Their lobbyists have pushed Congress to enact laws that benefit only them. With too many Nevadans bearing the brunt of higher food prices, big ag corporations should be working to keep costs low, not lining their own pockets by promoting anticompetitive practices. I’m pushing this bipartisan legislation to increase federal oversight, prevent conflicts of interest, and stop ag lobbyists from squeezing small producers out of business.”

The OFF Act targets the influence of agriculture lobbyists and prohibits anticompetitive behavior by preventing USDA checkoff programs from paying organizations that lobby on agricultural issues, banning activities that involve a conflict of interest, and requiring audits to ensure compliance.

“We applaud the Members of Congress for their long-term leadership and for introducing the bipartisan, bicameral OFF Act and call on both the House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders to stand up for American family farmers by moving this legislation swiftly through their committees,” said Taylor Haynes, President of the Organization for Competitive Markets. “If we’re going to be forced to pay into USDA’s checkoff programs then the very least we should expect is transparency, accountability, and oversight of our hard-earned dollars, and the OFF Act accomplishes just that.”

“Scandal after scandal has proven the long-term corruption in the beef, dairy, and pork checkoff programs that continue to utilize our own tax dollars against us and the day of reckoning is here,” said Mike Schultz, Founder of the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association and Vice-President at the Organization for Competitive Markets. “American family farmers are up in arms and are determined to see justice in the 119th Congress with the enactment of the OFF Act. Clean up decades of corruption.” 

“America’s farmers and ranchers are fed up with their hard-earned money landing in the hands of corporate lobbyists,” said Farm Action Fund President and Missouri farmer Joe Maxwell. “We face enough hurdles as it is; the last thing we need is our own dollars extracted against our will and then used to illegally lobby on behalf of the largest corporations that are already squeezing us out of the market. It’s the USDA’s job to prevent this abuse, and they continue to fail us. The OFF Act’s common-sense reforms would ensure USDA performs stringent oversight so that farmers know exactly where their money is going.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s rescission of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, including many living and working in Florida, that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court late yesterday:

“Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who fled political and economic oppression are now condemned to an uncertain and unstable future due to President Trump’s decision to revoke TPS. Venezuela is still a dangerous country where many are persecuted for their commitment to democratic ideals. The cruel and costly Trump policy will uproot families, destabilize communities and endanger the lives of people who fled a brutal dictatorship and sought refuge in the United States. These are hardworking men and women who came to the U.S. legally to contribute to our economy, raise families and worship alongside us. They are part of the fabric of our state.

“Instead of cruelly targeting them for deportation, we should provide stability and a tough but fair pathway to citizenship. That’s why I am cosponsoring legislation to provide our Venezuelan neighbors with a pathway to work and residency—so they can build a future in the country they have contributed so much to.

“I call on my colleagues in Congress to support this pathway and reject President Trump’s cruel and shortsighted agenda, and join me in standing up for our Venezuelan neighbors. America’s strength lies in our compassion and our commitment to freedom, not in tearing families apart to score political points.”

Rep. Castor has consistently championed TPS protections for Venezuelans and others fleeing violence and oppression, and she continues to advocate for permanent solutions that uphold American values of dignity, safety and opportunity.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

Washington, DC — Representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13), and Andy Biggs (AZ-05) introduced the bipartisan Global Fairness in Drug Pricing Act to codify the core provisions of President Trump’s Executive Order into law — ensuring lasting, enforceable reform that permanently delivers lower prices to Americans. 

Americans pay the highest prescription drug prices in the world — in some cases, up to ten times more than patients in other comparably developed nations for the same exact medications. President Trump’s executive order, while a step forward, could be tied up in the courts and delayed indefinitely without action from Congress. 

“It’s time to stand up to drug companies who are more worried about bolstering profits for their Wall Street investors, than making sure people can afford life-saving medication. The predatory pricing practices of giant, largely faceless, pharmaceutical corporations causes undue burden on Americans just trying their best just to get by,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). “There is no reason my constituents should pay more for their medicine than our Canadian neighbors 59 miles away across our northern border. Our effort to guarantee lowest possible pricing will benefit the well-being of tens of millions of Americans. I’m grateful to Congressman Khanna, Congresswoman Luna, and Congressman Biggs for helping lead this bipartisan effort for the American people who need all the help they can get in lowering their prescription drug costs.”

“Americans are getting ripped off. It’s deeply unfair that we’re paying significantly more for the same prescription drugs than people in other countries,” said Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17). “Pharmaceutical companies are raking in Billions while patients are rationing their medications or going into crushing debt to get the prescriptions they need. There is bipartisan outrage, and Congress must come together to act. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill with Reps. Luna, Kaptur, and Biggs to lower prices for Americans.” 

“For decades, Big Pharma has lined its pockets by ripping off American consumers. Their extraordinarily profitable racket overcharged desperate Americans for life-saving medicine, while charging foreign consumers more reasonable prices,” said Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna FL-13). “I’m proud to reach across the aisle to codify President Trump’s executive order, which put an end to this disgusting practice. Congress must make sure that pharmaceutical companies are never allowed to extort the sick and needy again.”

The Global Fairness in Drug Pricing Act legislation would:

1. Direct HHS to propose rulemaking that imposes most-favored-nation price targets, aligning U.S. drug prices with those in peer countries;
2. Authorize the FDA to consistently grant importation waivers for prescription drugs from countries with strong safety records and lower costs;
3. Empower the FTC and DOJ to investigate and act on anti-competitive practices in the pharmaceutical industry using existing antitrust laws;
4. Facilitate direct-to-consumer access to low-cost drugs at international benchmark prices;

5. Require the Department of Commerce and USTR to assess policies that force Americans to subsidize global R&D or suppress fair pricing abroad.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA) and Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX) announced the introduction of bipartisan legislation to improve participation in clinical trials by underrepresented populations.

The Clinical Trial Modernization Act builds on the successes of clinical trials legislation passed into law in 2022 by addressing economic barriers that can prevent participation in clinical trials. This bill also allows the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue grants or enter into contractual arrangements to support education, outreach, and recruitment for clinical trials for diseases that have a disproportionate impact on underrepresented populations.

“As an emergency medicine physician, I know firsthand that individuals respond differently to medications and clinical treatments,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25). “I am deeply concerned about the potential effects that the lack of participation in clinical trials may have on the effectiveness of new medical treatments and therapies for underrepresented populations. That is why I introduced this important legislation to help ensure clinical trial results are applicable to our nation’s various populations and can lead to more effective treatments.”

“Every American deserves access to the latest medical breakthroughs, regardless of where they live or their economic circumstances,” said Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX). The Clinical Trial Modernization Act will remove unnecessary barriers that have prevented many rural and underserved communities from participating in critical research, ultimately delivering more effective treatments to all Americans. I’m proud to partner with Dr. Ruiz on this bipartisan solution that will both improve health outcomes and strengthen America’s position as a global leader in medical research.” 

“No one should be disadvantaged in their cancer journey,” said Lisa A. Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. “The Clinical Trial Modernization Act would help eliminate cost and geographic barriers to clinical trials, making it easier for all people with cancer to participate in clinical trials. We thank Reps. Pfluger and Ruiz for their leadership in introducing this legislation, which is critical to our work to reduce the cancer burden for everyone.”

The Clinical Trial Modernization Act would make strides towards ensuring all populations can benefit from novel therapeutics.

The Clinical Trial Modernization Act will address economic barriers to participation in clinical trials by:

• Exempting free digital health technology that enables trial participation from the Anti-Kickback statute when doing so will facilitate clinical trial participation by underrepresented populations;
• Allowing patient cost-sharing by a drug or device manufacturer in a clinical trial when specific criteria are met;
• Excluding remuneration for participation in clinical trials from taxable income.